Constellation-Class Frigate: The U.S. Navy’s Next Self-Created Disaster?
Robert Farley
ByRobert FarleyPublished2 days ago
The Constellation-class frigate seemed like a safe bet for a service desperate for a procurement win. Wanting a frigate after the failure of the Littoral Combat Ship and the retirement of the last ships of the Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) class, the U.S. Navy decided to hedge its bets by going with a proven design, the European Multipurpose Frigate (FREMM) proposed by Fincantieri Marine Group and operated by both France and Italy. The ‘Connies’ were supposed to be an easy win, but unfortunately, the program has strayed into the kind of trouble that seems to follow the U.S. Navy wherever it goes.
Constellation-Class: Twilight of the Frigates
The term “frigate” has a very long history in naval circles. During World War II, the modern frigate emerged as a vessel smaller and slower than a destroyer that could specialize in escort work, especially in an anti-submarine role.
In the Royal Navy, these ships were called “sloops” or “corvettes;” in the USN, they were designated “destroyer escorts.” Over the course of the Cold War this type evolved into ships that could perform multiple missions, including anti-submarine and anti-aircraft defense.
https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/constellation-class-frigate-the-u-s-navys-next-self-created-disaster/
